


Stupid City Lights

by Absolute_Fool



Series: Run-ins and What-not [2]
Category: Company - Sondheim/Furth, Merrily We Roll Along - Sondheim/Furth, The Act - Kander/Ebb/Furth
Genre: Crossover Pairings, Crossover silliness, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28344003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Fool/pseuds/Absolute_Fool
Summary: Mary, Charley, and Frank end up at a hot party, surrounded by celebrities and not-celebrities, and old acquittances.
Series: Run-ins and What-not [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2075679





	Stupid City Lights

Everything is embarrassing in one way or another. How one walks, how one dances, or sings, or lives their life, it's all very embarrassing in the right situation. Avoiding shame can be a very powerful motivator if you let it be.  
Mary had yet to find that motivator, it seemed everything she did brought her embarrassment eventually.. In the moment, a day later, a year later, it was always there. It never ground her wellbeing too much, but it was always there, sitting in the background, standing on her shoulders.  
The feeling was inescapable but easy to distract herself from. A conversation would work as a pretty good distraction, but nothing was better than being with someone even more embarrassing, that really bore the brunt of it. That person was usually Charley. He was very good at being embarrassing, with his odd speech patterns, lack of fashion sense, his shaky temperament, and especially how he excelled at answering rhetorical questions. It was quite the distraction to Mary’s own shame if she could just hand it over to Charley, he didn’t seem to feel it. Or at least if he did he sure didn’t express it. That was his right.

Tonight, however, Charley was not making an ass out of himself. He was just sitting there, staring off into the room, hands folded over his chest, head-cocked slightly sideways, eyes narrowed. He had yet to say something incomprehensible, or make some snappy remark at someone getting too close. He was just sitting, silent. He probably wasn’t even listening.

“You know Frank’s gonna be here in not 15 minutes.” Mary said, “You might miss him if you aren’t looking.”

Charley missed the joke and turned to her, “I am looking. Very intently.”

Finally! The sweet relief that Charley saying something stupid was the best feeling in the world. He shifted and turned back to looking, tapping his fingers on the table in a steady rhythm. He wasn’t looking at the door, he was looking across the room, at a table.

“I don’t think he’s sitting there, Charley.” Mary said, “Unless he’s a lot older than I remember, or a lot more womanly.”

“You caught me.” Charley said, not looking at her, “I know them.”

Mary turned to look at them again. A man and a woman. An older man, definitely a familiar face, and a younger woman, also a familiar face but clearly trying to hide such from those around her. Mary couldn’t place the names.

“I’m shocked they’re at this place.” Charley said, “People like that tend to prefer places where successes hang out.”

Mary started to protest that idea but Charley was already up and heading across the bar. Ready for that evenings embarrassment, she got up and headed to stand by him.

“Oh, God, not this kid again.” The man mumbled, taking out a cigarette, “Charley Kringas. How’s the show going?” he stood up, scooted out of the booth and he and charley shook hands.

Charley seemed starry eyed, frankly shaking the man’s hand and then stumbling over words until he finally got one rational sentence out, “It opened last month.”

“Which show?” The woman chimed up.

“Sweet Sorrow.” Mary said, then she stopped, looked to the man and said, “Mary Flynn. I think I’m supposed to know who you are.”

“Not by appearances anyhow.” He said, “Nat Schieber. I read your column, you have an interesting style.” He returned to his seat.

“Songwriter.” Charley said, turning to Mary and with a tone implying she was stupid, “Musical movies mostly but a couple shows.”

“I swear.” Nat said to the woman, “Every time I see him he gives my life story to another person.  
Charley went silent. Everyone went silent. 

Nat sighed and shook his head, “I swear, I can’t even insult someone without it getting awkward. This is Mike by the way.”

Mike was giving Charley a very intense look, eyes wide, and then he smacked her hand down on the table and jumped up to shake his hand, “You wrote musical husbands, didn’t you? I saw it about a million times.”

Mary knew this conversation wasn’t for her, she looked at Nat, “You want a drink? I’ll get you a drink.”

“I’m gay, but thank you.” He said, with a laugh.

Mary was taken aback by that on many a level and turned back to Charley, who was in the middle of a very frantic, fast, and loud conversation with Mike. Mary couldn’t decipher it. Back to Nat, he scooted over and gestured for Mary to sit down.

“I wasn’t flirting with you, just to be clear.” Mary said, “Never heard someone state that so openly.”

Nat glanced up at Charley and Mike, “Really? He seems like the type to never shut up about it.”

“Charley’s got a wife and kids.” Mary said, “They look just like him too.”

Nat half laughed and offered Mary a cigarette, and then a light, then a long moment of silence. Waiting for Charley and Mike to calm down was like waiting for paint to dry, they just went on and on. Frank eventually came over, standing far enough away not to interrupt the conversation but close enough to Mary to roll his eyes at Charley in comedic fashion.

“Well, four is a good number, I think.” Charley said, “My wife wants one more but that’s not happening.”

“Five?” Mike said, “Gosh, I could barely handle the four that I had.”

“So can my wife.” Charley said, laughing.

Nat stood up, suddenly, prompting Mary to scoot out of the booth and stand as well. He popped his knuckles then looked directly at Charley, who took a step back. He then looked at Frank.

“Franklin Shepard.” He said.

“Always nice to run into you, Nat.” Frank said, “See you’ve met Mary.”

“Oh, no.” Nat said, “Mary’s an old friend, I love critics. You three interested in a night out with us? We weren’t going to stay here.”

“I thought we were.” Mike said.

“We’re not.” Nat said, looking at Frank, “What do you say?”

Frank shrugged, “I don’t see why not.”

Nat brought them to a house party of some rich artsy acquaintance of his, that he denied to divulge the name of.  
Red shag rugs and bright green furniture, nearly abstract paintings of nude women on the walls, and a slight scent of wet dog. There was alcohol flowing, and people laughing, and the air of complete and utter emptiness.

Mary half expected to spot Gussie. She did not. Nat was gone within seconds, Charley leaving his normal spot of to the left of Frank to follow after him, and Frank leaving his normal routine of schmoozing to go find Charley. Mary was alone with Mike.

"He is 53 years old and finds parties like this, full of the 30 year old wonder breads of tomorrow, just so Interesting." Mike said.

Mary finally got a real look at Mike, now that they were in the bright warm light of the party. She was older than Mary thought, her mid 30s, but about as pretty. Mary ran the face through her mind, trying to recall her from the gossip rags or the news or the movies, but nothing was there. She removed her sport's coat, revealing the sparkly one piece underneath, and went her way into the party, where she was swarmed with about 20 people, all asking for something or other. She was a natural.

Mary wasn't. And the "being alone" thing meant that she was rife to embarrass herself. She needed to find Charley. 

Mary weaved her way through the apartment and it's many hallways, occasionally stopped by some acquaintance who would try to pull her into a brainless conversation or offer her a cigarette laced with something or other, but she found her way.

Collected on the balcony was Nat, Charley, Frank, and a couple of mid-thirties city types, drinking, laughing. Charley was just watching Nat's every move, just out of the conversation, holding a glass in each hand. Frank was being talked up, or perhaps talking someone else up, with Nat by his side. 

The luck was immense. Mary slid in next to Charley.

"Hello." He said, not looking at her.

"Why do you have two drinks?" Mary said 

"People keep handing me them." Charley said, "I know you don’t drink but take one, or both, really. 

Mary took one.

Frank gestured wildly and the group burst into laughter. He then turned and gestured towards Charley, who gave a little wave with his free hand.

"And that's Charley." Frank said.

The crowd laughed again. Charley just blinked.

One of the unfamiliar faces, who in the light Mary could see was probably not in her mid thirties, pulled a smirk and looked Charley right in the eyes, which made him back up.

"Charley." She said, "What a name."

Charley, confused, smiled right back, "What's yours?"

"Marta." She said, "Not Martha, Marta."

Charley nodded, "Okay."

The other unfamiliar face was back to talking to Frank, while Marta focused her attention on Mary.

"Marta." Mary said, "That's most the way to my name and then some."

That made Charley laugh for some reason. he turned away.

"Mary?" Marta said, "Or Marigold?"

"Mary." Mary said, "Last I checked."

Charley turned back around to say something but was distracted by Frank.

"Charley, Charley, you need to tell him about how you met Evelyn." Frank said, grabbing Charley's arm and pulling him in.

"Well, she-" Charley stammered over his words as he looked at the man, "Robert."

"You know each other?" Frank said.

"We do." Robert said.

"He is a friend of Ted's." Charley said, looking away.

Mary didn't want to know the deal with that, nor would Marta let her. Marta stepped in front of her.

"Who are those guys?" She said.

"Charley's the squirrelly one." Mary said, "Frank's the other. Is robert your husband?"

Marta laughed, "Where are you from? The city?"

"I assume you aren't." Mary said.

Her eyes widened and she went to say something but Mary interrupted, "Want to mingle?"

And so Marta and Mary mingled amongst the party guests. Marta was quite a talker, bright eyed and not afraid to ask the hard questions. She was beyond charming. She wasn’t the type of charming that frank was, she was different, off-center, like a used car salesman. 

It was through this mingling that they came across Mike, sprawled across a piano like she was a tiger ready to strike anyone who crossed in front of it, singing something. For a moment, Mary thought it was Good Thing Going, but it wasn’t. It was Good Thing Going but it wasn’t Frank and Charley’s good thing going. She squirmed to the edge of the piano and gestured for Marta, who gave her her hand. Mike squirmed down and the two began to dance as Mike finished off the number to scattered applause. Mike stopped as the applause finished, throwing an arm around Marta and then gesturing to the pianist.

“I have no idea who this guy is, but I thank him.” She laughed, then she let go of Marta and pulled her back on the piano. Marta instantly turned to the pianist and began a conversation.

“Do you know her, Mike?” Mary chimed up over the crowd.

Mike shook her head, then looked at Mary, “You look bookish. Do you have a pen?”

Mary shook her head and decided it was time to scurry off. 

Frank and Charley and Robert and Nat had all collected into the bathroom. Someone else was sitting in the bathtub, Nat and Frank were both gazing at Frank in the mirror as they attempted to talk to Robert. Robert, giving Nat and Frank some credit, was also only partially there for that conversation, glaring across the room at Charley who was sitting on the bathroom counter letting people move in and out of the bathroom. Though in typical Charley fashion, he appeared to forget he had legs, which were blocking the sink.

Mary entered and stood by his legs for a bit. He didn’t notice her, still mutually glaring back with Robert, at least until Mary tapped his ankles. Charley quickly pulled his legs up to his chest and looked at her.

“Charley.”

“Mary.”

Nat turned around and pushed past Mary, Frank and Robert following. Charley started to go but Mary stopped him.

“What’s your deal with Robert?” Mary said.

“Nothing.” Charley said, “What’s Nat’s deal with Frank?”

Mary shrugged, stepping away so Charley could hop down. He threw a hand over Mary’s shoulder and steadied himself.

“Where even are we?” Mary said, “That Marta was weird.”

“Was she?” Charley said, “She seemed pretty normal to me.”

Mary opened her mouth to say something just for Frank to enter. Annoyed, frantic, looking back, he gestured wildly in Mary’s direction.

“Are you two coming?” Frank said.

“Yes.” Charley said.

“Where?” Mary said.

No one answered. Frank turned back and started going and Charley followed.


End file.
